When Katie Underwood entered Paul VI's gymnasium to play its inaugural girls volleyball season as a freshman, she had no idea how far the program would come. "I didn't expect that we'd every play as well together as we do now," said Underwood, who is waiting for national signing day to commit. "I made varsity as a middle blocker my freshman year because if you were tall and you knew the basic skills of volleyball, you made the team."
A lot has changed since that four-win season four years ago. Paul VI is off to a 15-1 start to the season and Underwood now thrives as an outside hitter. Even Paul VI's formation has changed. Underwood and Coach Tim Linehan agreed that a 5-1 formation better suited the team and paved the way for setter Kim Bryfogle, 283 assists, and opposite Fiona Marziello, who transferred from Oregon, to succeed. The switch also gave Underwood more freedom on the outside and back row.
"I love getting kills," she said. "But honestly blocking someone is better than getting a kill. This year is the first time I've played the back row for Paul VI. Playing back row and passing the ball to one of my other teammates to get a kill is more exciting for me. Getting a kill is so exciting and something that I'm used to, so I'd rather someone else get the kill."
Underwood's selflessness on the court primes her to be a leader. Not only is she an intricate part of Paul VI's volleyball squad, but also is a token of how much the program has grown in four short years.
"Katie is a good symbol of how far this team has come," Linehan said. "She started off as an ok freshman and then improved each and every year and the same team goes for us. We went from four wins that first year to 12 wins to 22 wins and now we're 15-1. She kind of symbolizes the growth of the team."
Underwood's stat line (104 kills, 49 digs and 18 aces) speaks for itself, but it is what the vocal leader does off the court that impresses Linehan. She runs the team's gear drive as well as helped organize last year's senior gift and senior day, which featured each senior receiving a framed autographed picture of the team as well as a party following the senior day match.
While last year's run to the Non-Public quarterfinals, which saw it trump Union Catholic on the road, Paul VI saved its best season for Underwood's final year. For the first time in program history, it defeated rival Sterling. It did not best Sterling just once and its second triumph, on Oct. 9, earned Paul VI its first divisional title.
"Big time players step up in big time games," Linehan said. "She had 18 kills the first time we beat them and 10 the second time around. Really both games she put us on her back and led us to our two biggest wins of the year."
Be sure to vote in this week's "Poll: Who is the top middle?" Which opens first thing Thursday morning.
Follow Rich Greco on twitter @RichardGrecoHS
